Labour city councillor resigns Carfax seat

The Labour councillor was first elected in 2012, but told the Oxford Mail her job as a head of department at a London university was becoming increasingly demanding.

Her resignation will trigger a by-election if one is requested by two electors in the ward in the next 35 days.

Ms Canning is the third Labour city councillor to announce her intention to stand down in the last two months – with former Cowley councillor Helen O’Hara standing down and current Quarry and Risinghurst councillor Laurence Baxter announcing his intention to do so over the summer. Both have taken jobs out of the Oxford area.

Comments

Andrew:Oxford
9:07am Sun 27 Jul 14

Myron Blatz wrote…

Apart from the fact that he East Oxford Community Centre isn't in and doesn't serve Carfax Ward, Andrew:Oxford is years behind with his 'breaking news' about issues with the East Oxford Community Association, Trustees and Full Members, who not only made the headlines earlier his year about in-fighting and power struggles, but have been doing so for years - and certainly as far back as 2008. Perhaps what is more interesting about the Carfax by-election is that it will be the third Labour seat to come be contested since the May 2014 City Council Elections - which suggests 'tactical decisions' may have been taken by Cllr Price to lessen the unsettling effect which would have happened in May, had 10% of his Councillors decided to step-down at that point in time. The resignations are also a sign of the times, when younger local politicians are these days more likely to not only change jobs, but also relocate elsewhere to further their careers. This, unlike older Councillors who may have reached a more stable career plateau, or even reached career retirement age and seem determined to remain as local politicians, long after police, firemen (and women) and magistrates bow-out gracefully. Ironic, therefore, that Labour and Oxford City Council has lost and will be losing three of its younger, ambitious and hard-working Councillors, at a time when many of the young electorate in Carfax Ward and across Oxford only see many of Oxford's City and County Councillors looking more like their grandparents! As for 'mytaxes' comment about diversification from academic types on City Council, let me remind you that Cllr Mohammed Abbasi, our new Lord Mayor, used to be telephone engineer, and that Sherrif Rae Humberstone is a mini-coach driver for the disabled and elderley with Oxfordshire County Council - not to mention other Councillors who drive or have driven taxis for a living!

You are quite right, it's not the Carfax ward. Neither was the interestingly time anti-UKIP meeting last Wednesday. But, you may not be aware of this but, happenings in one ward can affect another.

The EOCC issues have been bubbling away for quite some time, it's quite the hotbed of Oxford Activism. Sean Feeney had a quite fascinating letter published on Indymedia back in 2008 about the goings on at the centre - for once probably too strong for even I to repeat in the comments column of the OM.

Sietske Boeles (regular Green candidate) is also making demands, in the letters pages of "The Oxford Mail", for the release of information so can be fairly confident that the goings on at the EOCC is close to the heart of the Green party in Oxford.

[quote][p][bold]Myron Blatz[/bold] wrote:
Apart from the fact that he East Oxford Community Centre isn't in and doesn't serve Carfax Ward, Andrew:Oxford is years behind with his 'breaking news' about issues with the East Oxford Community Association, Trustees and Full Members, who not only made the headlines earlier his year about in-fighting and power struggles, but have been doing so for years - and certainly as far back as 2008. Perhaps what is more interesting about the Carfax by-election is that it will be the third Labour seat to come be contested since the May 2014 City Council Elections - which suggests 'tactical decisions' may have been taken by Cllr Price to lessen the unsettling effect which would have happened in May, had 10% of his Councillors decided to step-down at that point in time. The resignations are also a sign of the times, when younger local politicians are these days more likely to not only change jobs, but also relocate elsewhere to further their careers. This, unlike older Councillors who may have reached a more stable career plateau, or even reached career retirement age and seem determined to remain as local politicians, long after police, firemen (and women) and magistrates bow-out gracefully. Ironic, therefore, that Labour and Oxford City Council has lost and will be losing three of its younger, ambitious and hard-working Councillors, at a time when many of the young electorate in Carfax Ward and across Oxford only see many of Oxford's City and County Councillors looking more like their grandparents! As for 'mytaxes' comment about diversification from academic types on City Council, let me remind you that Cllr Mohammed Abbasi, our new Lord Mayor, used to be telephone engineer, and that Sherrif Rae Humberstone is a mini-coach driver for the disabled and elderley with Oxfordshire County Council - not to mention other Councillors who drive or have driven taxis for a living![/p][/quote]You are quite right, it's not the Carfax ward. Neither was the interestingly time anti-UKIP meeting last Wednesday. But, you may not be aware of this but, happenings in one ward can affect another.
The EOCC issues have been bubbling away for quite some time, it's quite the hotbed of Oxford Activism. Sean Feeney had a quite fascinating letter published on Indymedia back in 2008 about the goings on at the centre - for once probably too strong for even I to repeat in the comments column of the OM.
Sietske Boeles (regular Green candidate) is also making demands, in the letters pages of "The Oxford Mail", for the release of information so can be fairly confident that the goings on at the EOCC is close to the heart of the Green party in Oxford.Andrew:Oxford

Myron Blatz wrote…

Apart from the fact that he East Oxford Community Centre isn't in and doesn't serve Carfax Ward, Andrew:Oxford is years behind with his 'breaking news' about issues with the East Oxford Community Association, Trustees and Full Members, who not only made the headlines earlier his year about in-fighting and power struggles, but have been doing so for years - and certainly as far back as 2008. Perhaps what is more interesting about the Carfax by-election is that it will be the third Labour seat to come be contested since the May 2014 City Council Elections - which suggests 'tactical decisions' may have been taken by Cllr Price to lessen the unsettling effect which would have happened in May, had 10% of his Councillors decided to step-down at that point in time. The resignations are also a sign of the times, when younger local politicians are these days more likely to not only change jobs, but also relocate elsewhere to further their careers. This, unlike older Councillors who may have reached a more stable career plateau, or even reached career retirement age and seem determined to remain as local politicians, long after police, firemen (and women) and magistrates bow-out gracefully. Ironic, therefore, that Labour and Oxford City Council has lost and will be losing three of its younger, ambitious and hard-working Councillors, at a time when many of the young electorate in Carfax Ward and across Oxford only see many of Oxford's City and County Councillors looking more like their grandparents! As for 'mytaxes' comment about diversification from academic types on City Council, let me remind you that Cllr Mohammed Abbasi, our new Lord Mayor, used to be telephone engineer, and that Sherrif Rae Humberstone is a mini-coach driver for the disabled and elderley with Oxfordshire County Council - not to mention other Councillors who drive or have driven taxis for a living!

You are quite right, it's not the Carfax ward. Neither was the interestingly time anti-UKIP meeting last Wednesday. But, you may not be aware of this but, happenings in one ward can affect another.

The EOCC issues have been bubbling away for quite some time, it's quite the hotbed of Oxford Activism. Sean Feeney had a quite fascinating letter published on Indymedia back in 2008 about the goings on at the centre - for once probably too strong for even I to repeat in the comments column of the OM.

Sietske Boeles (regular Green candidate) is also making demands, in the letters pages of "The Oxford Mail", for the release of information so can be fairly confident that the goings on at the EOCC is close to the heart of the Green party in Oxford.

Score: 0

Andrew:Oxford
6:44pm Sat 26 Jul 14

Carfax ward is one of the closest run electoral wards in Oxford. The results in 2012 (which elected AMC on a 21% turnout) were:-

Labour - 288
Greens - 235
LibDem - 207
Conservative - 159

I get the feeling that something big is about to kick-off with the East Oxford Community Association though with a lot of interesting headlines in the run up to this local election. It's going to be fascinating!

Carfax ward is one of the closest run electoral wards in Oxford. The results in 2012 (which elected AMC on a 21% turnout) were:-
Labour - 288
Greens - 235
LibDem - 207
Conservative - 159
I get the feeling that something big is about to kick-off with the East Oxford Community Association though with a lot of interesting headlines in the run up to this local election. It's going to be fascinating!Andrew:Oxford

Carfax ward is one of the closest run electoral wards in Oxford. The results in 2012 (which elected AMC on a 21% turnout) were:-

Labour - 288
Greens - 235
LibDem - 207
Conservative - 159

I get the feeling that something big is about to kick-off with the East Oxford Community Association though with a lot of interesting headlines in the run up to this local election. It's going to be fascinating!

Score: 1

mytaxes
8:40pm Sat 26 Jul 14

Let's hope it's not another academic or university staff that gets elected, it's time for a change.

Let's hope it's not another academic or university staff that gets elected, it's time for a change.mytaxes

Let's hope it's not another academic or university staff that gets elected, it's time for a change.

Score: 0

Myron Blatz
11:50pm Sat 26 Jul 14

Apart from the fact that he East Oxford Community Centre isn't in and doesn't serve Carfax Ward, Andrew:Oxford is years behind with his 'breaking news' about issues with the East Oxford Community Association, Trustees and Full Members, who not only made the headlines earlier his year about in-fighting and power struggles, but have been doing so for years - and certainly as far back as 2008. Perhaps what is more interesting about the Carfax by-election is that it will be the third Labour seat to come be contested since the May 2014 City Council Elections - which suggests 'tactical decisions' may have been taken by Cllr Price to lessen the unsettling effect which would have happened in May, had 10% of his Councillors decided to step-down at that point in time. The resignations are also a sign of the times, when younger local politicians are these days more likely to not only change jobs, but also relocate elsewhere to further their careers. This, unlike older Councillors who may have reached a more stable career plateau, or even reached career retirement age and seem determined to remain as local politicians, long after police, firemen (and women) and magistrates bow-out gracefully. Ironic, therefore, that Labour and Oxford City Council has lost and will be losing three of its younger, ambitious and hard-working Councillors, at a time when many of the young electorate in Carfax Ward and across Oxford only see many of Oxford's City and County Councillors looking more like their grandparents! As for 'mytaxes' comment about diversification from academic types on City Council, let me remind you that Cllr Mohammed Abbasi, our new Lord Mayor, used to be telephone engineer, and that Sherrif Rae Humberstone is a mini-coach driver for the disabled and elderley with Oxfordshire County Council - not to mention other Councillors who drive or have driven taxis for a living!

Apart from the fact that he East Oxford Community Centre isn't in and doesn't serve Carfax Ward, Andrew:Oxford is years behind with his 'breaking news' about issues with the East Oxford Community Association, Trustees and Full Members, who not only made the headlines earlier his year about in-fighting and power struggles, but have been doing so for years - and certainly as far back as 2008. Perhaps what is more interesting about the Carfax by-election is that it will be the third Labour seat to come be contested since the May 2014 City Council Elections - which suggests 'tactical decisions' may have been taken by Cllr Price to lessen the unsettling effect which would have happened in May, had 10% of his Councillors decided to step-down at that point in time. The resignations are also a sign of the times, when younger local politicians are these days more likely to not only change jobs, but also relocate elsewhere to further their careers. This, unlike older Councillors who may have reached a more stable career plateau, or even reached career retirement age and seem determined to remain as local politicians, long after police, firemen (and women) and magistrates bow-out gracefully. Ironic, therefore, that Labour and Oxford City Council has lost and will be losing three of its younger, ambitious and hard-working Councillors, at a time when many of the young electorate in Carfax Ward and across Oxford only see many of Oxford's City and County Councillors looking more like their grandparents! As for 'mytaxes' comment about diversification from academic types on City Council, let me remind you that Cllr Mohammed Abbasi, our new Lord Mayor, used to be telephone engineer, and that Sherrif Rae Humberstone is a mini-coach driver for the disabled and elderley with Oxfordshire County Council - not to mention other Councillors who drive or have driven taxis for a living!Myron Blatz

Apart from the fact that he East Oxford Community Centre isn't in and doesn't serve Carfax Ward, Andrew:Oxford is years behind with his 'breaking news' about issues with the East Oxford Community Association, Trustees and Full Members, who not only made the headlines earlier his year about in-fighting and power struggles, but have been doing so for years - and certainly as far back as 2008. Perhaps what is more interesting about the Carfax by-election is that it will be the third Labour seat to come be contested since the May 2014 City Council Elections - which suggests 'tactical decisions' may have been taken by Cllr Price to lessen the unsettling effect which would have happened in May, had 10% of his Councillors decided to step-down at that point in time. The resignations are also a sign of the times, when younger local politicians are these days more likely to not only change jobs, but also relocate elsewhere to further their careers. This, unlike older Councillors who may have reached a more stable career plateau, or even reached career retirement age and seem determined to remain as local politicians, long after police, firemen (and women) and magistrates bow-out gracefully. Ironic, therefore, that Labour and Oxford City Council has lost and will be losing three of its younger, ambitious and hard-working Councillors, at a time when many of the young electorate in Carfax Ward and across Oxford only see many of Oxford's City and County Councillors looking more like their grandparents! As for 'mytaxes' comment about diversification from academic types on City Council, let me remind you that Cllr Mohammed Abbasi, our new Lord Mayor, used to be telephone engineer, and that Sherrif Rae Humberstone is a mini-coach driver for the disabled and elderley with Oxfordshire County Council - not to mention other Councillors who drive or have driven taxis for a living!

Score: 3

The New Private Eye
2:55am Sun 27 Jul 14

Myron Blatz wrote…

Apart from the fact that he East Oxford Community Centre isn't in and doesn't serve Carfax Ward, Andrew:Oxford is years behind with his 'breaking news' about issues with the East Oxford Community Association, Trustees and Full Members, who not only made the headlines earlier his year about in-fighting and power struggles, but have been doing so for years - and certainly as far back as 2008. Perhaps what is more interesting about the Carfax by-election is that it will be the third Labour seat to come be contested since the May 2014 City Council Elections - which suggests 'tactical decisions' may have been taken by Cllr Price to lessen the unsettling effect which would have happened in May, had 10% of his Councillors decided to step-down at that point in time. The resignations are also a sign of the times, when younger local politicians are these days more likely to not only change jobs, but also relocate elsewhere to further their careers. This, unlike older Councillors who may have reached a more stable career plateau, or even reached career retirement age and seem determined to remain as local politicians, long after police, firemen (and women) and magistrates bow-out gracefully. Ironic, therefore, that Labour and Oxford City Council has lost and will be losing three of its younger, ambitious and hard-working Councillors, at a time when many of the young electorate in Carfax Ward and across Oxford only see many of Oxford's City and County Councillors looking more like their grandparents! As for 'mytaxes' comment about diversification from academic types on City Council, let me remind you that Cllr Mohammed Abbasi, our new Lord Mayor, used to be telephone engineer, and that Sherrif Rae Humberstone is a mini-coach driver for the disabled and elderley with Oxfordshire County Council - not to mention other Councillors who drive or have driven taxis for a living!

Not quite sure about your comment regarding Taxi Drivers being councillors to support your point. On an average wage of £50k they come into the top income band not the lowest. But the timing of the Carfax by-election is very tactical because the students are away and the Green vote will collapse, leaving the new Red candidate with a clear run.

[quote][p][bold]Myron Blatz[/bold] wrote:
Apart from the fact that he East Oxford Community Centre isn't in and doesn't serve Carfax Ward, Andrew:Oxford is years behind with his 'breaking news' about issues with the East Oxford Community Association, Trustees and Full Members, who not only made the headlines earlier his year about in-fighting and power struggles, but have been doing so for years - and certainly as far back as 2008. Perhaps what is more interesting about the Carfax by-election is that it will be the third Labour seat to come be contested since the May 2014 City Council Elections - which suggests 'tactical decisions' may have been taken by Cllr Price to lessen the unsettling effect which would have happened in May, had 10% of his Councillors decided to step-down at that point in time. The resignations are also a sign of the times, when younger local politicians are these days more likely to not only change jobs, but also relocate elsewhere to further their careers. This, unlike older Councillors who may have reached a more stable career plateau, or even reached career retirement age and seem determined to remain as local politicians, long after police, firemen (and women) and magistrates bow-out gracefully. Ironic, therefore, that Labour and Oxford City Council has lost and will be losing three of its younger, ambitious and hard-working Councillors, at a time when many of the young electorate in Carfax Ward and across Oxford only see many of Oxford's City and County Councillors looking more like their grandparents! As for 'mytaxes' comment about diversification from academic types on City Council, let me remind you that Cllr Mohammed Abbasi, our new Lord Mayor, used to be telephone engineer, and that Sherrif Rae Humberstone is a mini-coach driver for the disabled and elderley with Oxfordshire County Council - not to mention other Councillors who drive or have driven taxis for a living![/p][/quote]Not quite sure about your comment regarding Taxi Drivers being councillors to support your point. On an average wage of £50k they come into the top income band not the lowest. But the timing of the Carfax by-election is very tactical because the students are away and the Green vote will collapse, leaving the new Red candidate with a clear run.The New Private Eye

Myron Blatz wrote…

Apart from the fact that he East Oxford Community Centre isn't in and doesn't serve Carfax Ward, Andrew:Oxford is years behind with his 'breaking news' about issues with the East Oxford Community Association, Trustees and Full Members, who not only made the headlines earlier his year about in-fighting and power struggles, but have been doing so for years - and certainly as far back as 2008. Perhaps what is more interesting about the Carfax by-election is that it will be the third Labour seat to come be contested since the May 2014 City Council Elections - which suggests 'tactical decisions' may have been taken by Cllr Price to lessen the unsettling effect which would have happened in May, had 10% of his Councillors decided to step-down at that point in time. The resignations are also a sign of the times, when younger local politicians are these days more likely to not only change jobs, but also relocate elsewhere to further their careers. This, unlike older Councillors who may have reached a more stable career plateau, or even reached career retirement age and seem determined to remain as local politicians, long after police, firemen (and women) and magistrates bow-out gracefully. Ironic, therefore, that Labour and Oxford City Council has lost and will be losing three of its younger, ambitious and hard-working Councillors, at a time when many of the young electorate in Carfax Ward and across Oxford only see many of Oxford's City and County Councillors looking more like their grandparents! As for 'mytaxes' comment about diversification from academic types on City Council, let me remind you that Cllr Mohammed Abbasi, our new Lord Mayor, used to be telephone engineer, and that Sherrif Rae Humberstone is a mini-coach driver for the disabled and elderley with Oxfordshire County Council - not to mention other Councillors who drive or have driven taxis for a living!

Not quite sure about your comment regarding Taxi Drivers being councillors to support your point. On an average wage of £50k they come into the top income band not the lowest. But the timing of the Carfax by-election is very tactical because the students are away and the Green vote will collapse, leaving the new Red candidate with a clear run.

Score: 0

Myron Blatz
1:59pm Sun 27 Jul 14

Fact is that the Trustees and Community Associations should be non-political by nature under the constitutions agreed by th Charity Commission, and that they should be independent of City Council control - Oxford City Council is merely the landlord, and its Commumity & Neighbourhood Teams have no durisdiction - given or implied - with regard to Community Centres. It should be the local community volunteers and the people who live in those communities running community centres, not City Council and its paid staff, who increasingly cost the council tax payers of Oxford £millions in 'living wages' and bloated pension rights - starting with City Council's CEO, and his fat £140,000+ salary! People in glass houses, City Council, should think twice before throwing stones at others ........

Fact is that the Trustees and Community Associations should be non-political by nature under the constitutions agreed by th Charity Commission, and that they should be independent of City Council control - Oxford City Council is merely the landlord, and its Commumity & Neighbourhood Teams have no durisdiction - given or implied - with regard to Community Centres. It should be the local community volunteers and the people who live in those communities running community centres, not City Council and its paid staff, who increasingly cost the council tax payers of Oxford £millions in 'living wages' and bloated pension rights - starting with City Council's CEO, and his fat £140,000+ salary! People in glass houses, City Council, should think twice before throwing stones at others ........Myron Blatz

Fact is that the Trustees and Community Associations should be non-political by nature under the constitutions agreed by th Charity Commission, and that they should be independent of City Council control - Oxford City Council is merely the landlord, and its Commumity & Neighbourhood Teams have no durisdiction - given or implied - with regard to Community Centres. It should be the local community volunteers and the people who live in those communities running community centres, not City Council and its paid staff, who increasingly cost the council tax payers of Oxford £millions in 'living wages' and bloated pension rights - starting with City Council's CEO, and his fat £140,000+ salary! People in glass houses, City Council, should think twice before throwing stones at others ........

We don't know what the UK will be like after the 16th September vote yet.

Around 6 weeks until people in Scotland get to choose whether they want to stay with the UK

Still, if they leave it'll mean Labour loses around 40 seats in parliament...

:)

[quote][p][bold]kiddyboy[/bold] wrote:
VOTE UKIP for a better Britain[/p][/quote]We don't know what the UK will be like after the 16th September vote yet.
Around 6 weeks until people in Scotland get to choose whether they want to stay with the UK
Still, if they leave it'll mean Labour loses around 40 seats in parliament...
:)Andrew:Oxford

kiddyboy wrote…

VOTE UKIP for a better Britain

We don't know what the UK will be like after the 16th September vote yet.

Around 6 weeks until people in Scotland get to choose whether they want to stay with the UK

Still, if they leave it'll mean Labour loses around 40 seats in parliament...

Ipsoregulated

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